Author: Molly Parks, Washington Examiner
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Mystery substance sprayed at Ilhan Omar during town hall event identified as apple cider vinegar
The previously unidentified substance sprayed at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during her Tuesday night town hall has been identified as apple cider vinegar. Suspect Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, charged toward Omar while she stood behind a podium at a town hall event in northern Minneapolis on Tuesday evening. The suspect then sprayed…
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Federal judge denies Massie and Khanna’s request for ‘independent monitor’ over release of Epstein files
A federal judge denied Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna‘s (D-CA) request on Wednesday for a “special master and independent monitor” to oversee the Justice Department’s rollout of the Epstein files. Following their successful championing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, Massie and Khanna have ripped the DOJ for not complying with…
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Iran will ‘fire back’ with no ‘restraint’ if Trump intervenes over protest crackdown: Foreign minister
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a blunt message to the White House on Tuesday evening, warning that Iran has “no qualms” about hitting back with full force if a nation strikes Iran over its crackdown on protesters. Araghchi’s comments come as the latest escalation in a push-and-pull of rhetoric between the Iranian regime and…
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Newsom rants about European leaders ‘rolling over’ on Trump: ‘Handing out crowns’
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) called European leaders’ efforts at diplomacy with President Donald Trump “embarrassing” in a rant to reporters at the World Economic Forum. Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential candidate, is slated to speak in Davos on Thursday, one day after Trump gives a special address on Wednesday. Newsom railed against European leaders on Tuesday…
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What is the Insurrection Act, the law at the center of the debate over Trump deploying the National Guard?
This story was originally published in October 2025. In January 2026, President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota over widespread protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The unrest comes after two shootings involving ICE officers in Minneapolis, one of which resulted in the death of 37-year-old Renee Good, within a week.…
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Trump likely to bar Exxon from Venezuela oil investment: ‘They’re playing too cute’
President Donald Trump told reporters he may exclude Exxon Mobil from his coordinated effort to provide security guarantees for American oil companies in Venezuela following their response to his administration’s offer. “I didn’t like Exxon’s response,” Trump said. “We have so many that want it. I’d probably be inclined to keep Exxon out. I didn’t…
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New Jersey signs legislation banning cellphones in schools
K-12 students in New Jersey will no longer be allowed to use their cellphones in school starting in the fall of 2026. Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) signed a bill into law on Thursday establishing “phone-free” schools in the Garden State. The bill, also supported by Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), bars the “nonacademic use” of smartphones…
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Zelensky calls for ‘clear response’ from US after Russia’s use of nuclear-capable missile in strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling on the United States to give a “clear response” to an overnight barrage of Russian military strikes in Kyiv and Lviv, which included the launch of a nuclear-capable missile. Russia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed it launched the nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile on Thursday evening, marking the second time the…
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Trump says US could control Venezuela ‘much longer’ than a year
The United States could oversee the political happenings in Venezuela for “much longer” than three months to a year, President Donald Trump said. Trump made the comments in a two-hour interview with New York Times reporters, less than one week after the U.S. military staged an overnight operation to capture former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro…
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Federal judge rules Trump administration can share illegal immigrants’ Medicaid data with ICE
The Trump administration can continue its practice of sharing the biographical, location, and contact information of illegal immigrants between federal agencies early in the new year, a federal judge ruled on Monday. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, of the Northern District of California, issued the preliminary injunction order…